Think of Hawaii and you’re sure to think of exotic beaches, beautiful ladies in grass skirts – and hula dancing. 
Hula dancing may look like basic swaying and arm waving to the untrained eye, but in fact it derives from ancient rituals which convey complex meanings and even seek to unify the dancer with nature.
There are several different types of hula step, including Kaholo, Ka’o and Ami, which can be combined with either ‘hula’ or ‘coconut tree’ hand motions.
Here’s how to do a basic Kaholo step with hula arms – but first, put on some suitable Hawaiian music.
For the feet: start by standing with your feet together, then take two small steps to the right. Then, take two small steps to the left. Keep repeating these steps for as long as the hula music plays!
For the arms: To get the correct hula arm position, place your arms straight out to your sides at shoulder height with your palms facing down. Bend your left arm in so that it’s just in front of your chest, but not touching it.
Make sure your finger tips on both hands are pointing to the right and carry out a wave-like motion with both arms and hands, as you will no doubt have seen in countless Hawaii-based films. Then, reverse your arms so your right arm is bent and your finger tips are pointing to the left, and repeat the wave movement.
Keep repeating the arm motions in time with the Kaholo steps.
Once you’ve got the moves, all you need is the outfit. You can find all the hula accessories you need, from garlands, grass skirts and shell bras to flip-flops and hair ornaments at
Happy hula dancing!
